Brake and like operating mechanism



Feb. 24, 1931. w. H. SMITH BRAKE AND LIKE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 13, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1' \NVENTOR! Feb. 24, 1931.

w. H. SMITH BRAKE AND LIKE OPERATING MECHANISM s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 13, 1928 w 5 ,M Y R E n M i N Mfl E T VM 9 lww.

Feb. 24', 1931. $M|TH 1,794,211 v BRAKE AND LIKE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 15, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 5 l 1 Q2. H9 F 1 r Q I I\\ \\\\\\\X\\\ Y H TToRh/EYS.

Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT! o-sriee BRAKE Ann L EornR-nrrne MECHANISM Application filed November 13,,1928 Seria1,No. 319,148, and in Great Britain February 28,1928;

This invention relates to. improvements in brake or like operating mechanism.

In applying brakes or the like on vehicles it is customary to, employ alever with which is incorporated a catch relieving mechanism in the nature of an additional lever, or a button, the additional lever, being pressed towards the main lever by the operator,: and in the other case the button being pressed 1o downwards by the thumb. or the like, in any case when the brake is on and it is desired to release same additional pressure hastobe applied in order to ease the catch relieving mechanism.v I 1 It is my object to arrange and construct a brake 01-1 the like applying mechanism in such wise that the desired pressure is ob;- tained by a. movement of the operatinglever in one direction and the pressure is released by the reverse movement of the lever without necessitating the use ofthe catch re" li'eving mechanism, and further wear and tear on the rack with which the lever co.- operates is reduced to a minimum. 5 My inventio risin the nature of what I may term a. two part lever one part connecting to theshaft or likegwhich it isdesired to actuate and mounted free to move around orin juxtaposition to a suitable or usual racked segment. i is pivotally connected to the firstpart with arestrictedmotion in relation tothe. first part, the degree of such motion being regulated by the cooperation of anadjustable 35 member carried by one part with aspring pressed member. carried by the other part. The handle part of the leverwillj generally carry a spring plunger to engage or to be free from the rack. depending on the relative positions of the two parts.

Means may beprovided tof give a lock when the brake is on, that tosa y, thejtwopart lever may belocked as one part.

In. the drawings accompanyingthis.spec,-

ification, V

Fig. l is a broken away and partl y sectional side View of a brake operatingmechanism embodying the featuresori the presejnt inn- Fig. 2 is apar-tly sectional side viewofthe to Figs. 5 and l6, but

The other and handle part upper portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 and illustrating the mechanism pro.- vided with means for lockingit in the. on position of the brake;

F ig.-.3 is. a verticalsectional view taken centrally through Fig; 2;

Fig. dis a broken away side view showing a modified form of brake operating mechanism, in the off position of'the brake;

Fig.5 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4, illustrating it in the on position'and' provided with a modified form of means for locking in v said position;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the mechanism at right angles to Fig. 5 and showingthe quadrant in section; v

Figs. 7 and 8' are; views respectively. similar illustrating further modified form of mechanism;

Figs. 9 and 10 are Views'similar to Figs. 5, and 6, but illustrating a. still further modified form of mechanism;

Figs. llandlfZ are views similar to Figs. 5 and 6 but illustrating a further modified form;

Fig. l3 is a side Viewillustrating another modified 'form of-mechanism Figs. 141 and 15..are broken away sectional side views of a mechanism embodying my invention and adapted for use in connection with railroad cars, these figures showing the mechanism in the on and of? positions re spectively and Figs. 16 and 17 are transverse sectional views taken respectively on lines 16-16. and 17-47 of Fig. 14. i

To carry my invention into effect the mechanism, as, hereinafter described, will vary somewhat depending on the typeoit' brake to whichit is to be, applied, and I h hereinafter described and shown in the drawings, various arrangements as applied: to the brakes of different makes otzmotor roadvehicles and to railway wagons. I. wish it to be; understood. that the. examples shown are not the. only adaptations possible with my invention, wliicl'r' maybe used to: ope rate other devicesthanthebrake-s mentioned. so. long as itgis characterizedby a two part lever was a restrictedmotion between the, two 355 parts which obviates the necessity of a hand operated catch relieving mechanism of the usual type, and which reduces wear and tear on the teeth of the usual rack and on the catch operating in connection therewith.

Referrin first to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, S designates a brake shaft of the usual or any suitable type, to which is secured the lower part L of a two-part lever, the upper or handle part of which is designated H. A quadrant Q providedwith rack teeth on its upper side passes through an opening in the lever part L and isadapted to be secured at its opposite ends to fixed points on the vehicle to be braked.

On the rnekside of the quadrant the lever offset, as shown at L, said oliset portion being bored to receive a spring firessed.member M the outer end of which is tapered at opposite sides to provide a pair of oppositely disposed fiat faces M. At one side the offset lever portion L- extends beyond the end of theimeinber M, to form an abutment portion L It will be understood that the member M may be rounded at its end instead of being tiattened as herein shown.

The handle portion H of the lever is provided with a comparatively wide lower portion H which is bifurcated and straddles that portion of the lever L above the quadrant, said handle portion H being pivoted to th lower portion L in oft-center relation to the shafts, as indicated at P. The handle portion H and lever portion L are provided with abutment shoulders H and L respee tively, which come into contact with each other, when the handle is moved toward the right as shown in Fig. 1,.thus ensuring rigidity in applying the brake. The handle portion H is bored at one side to provide a chambe! or seat in whichpis mounted'a spring pressed detent D,the lower end of-which is in the form of a pawl adagted to engage the teeth of the quadrant. The handle portion H is .also bored at the side thereof opposite from the plunger D to form a seat for a member .N which is threaded in said bore and tapered at its lower end to form flat faces 1* adapted to cooperate with they faces 1 of the member M as hereinaftermore fully de scribed. i r

Fig. 1 shows the device in the on position of the brake, with the lower end of the detent I) in engagement with the quadrant. With the parts in the position shown. if'it is desired to release thebrake the handle H is pushed toward the left whereupon the flat face N of the member N will slide on the face M of the member M, thus exerting a cam action on said member andcausing the same to move downward until the end ofthe member N passesover the end of themember M, there- ..by permitting the handle-to swing on its pivot and release the detent D from the quadrant. Further swinging of the handle on its pivot is prevented by the contact of the shoulder H of the handle portion with the abutment L of the lever. lVhen the lever comes to rest in the off position the fiat sides M and N opposite from those shown in Fig. 1 will be in engagement, so that if. the handle is moved toward the on position, or to the right, the member N again depresses the member M and slides over it, thus permitting the handle to swing on its pivot into quadrant engaging position.

h Ieans is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 for locking the parts in the on position and preventing the handle from moving with relation to the lever. In these figures, the handle portion H and the lever portion L are cut away between the walls of the bifurcated portion of the handle to provide an L-shape recess or chamber K for the reception of a lug or key Kcarried at the lower end of a rod R mounted for sliding movement in the handle and provided at its upper end with an operating knob or handle R. It will be readily seen that when the key K is in the upper part of the vertical portion of said chamber the handle cannot move toward the quadrant-releasing position, because the key will form a wedge in contact with both members H and L so that the member Hf cannot be moved on its pivot to release the quadrant. However, when the key is moved to its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 2 the horizon- .tal extension of the L-shaped chamber will permit movement of the handle portion H toward the leftof Fig. 2 without contacting, with the key, thus releasing the detent'D mounted in its upper end a spring-pressed member M similar to that shown in Fig. l. The handle portion H is pivoted at P to said lever in alinement with the shaft S, said handle having an offset portion in which is mounted a spring-pressed pawl D for engagement with the quadrant. he cam member NKin this form, is secured by a rivet orpin to the handle, the members M and N being flattened at their ends for cooperation in the manner described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3. For locking the parts in the on position a pin K is mounted for rotation in the handle, and isprovided at one end with a knurled head for manually" rotatingit and at its opposite end with a springcatchiK adapted to enter a dent or dimple K formed in the handle. The pin K iscut away atone side thereof, as indicated at K in Fig. 5. Whenthe curved side of the pin-is men lever member L gagement with the upper end of the lever the parts are locked or wedged against relat-ivemovement. However, when the pin rotated until its cut away side is'to wa-rd' the a cam member N coo )eratin with a S )Ill] pressed member M ca ried by the lever, the handle being provided at oneside of its pivot with a pivoted'dog or detent I) normally urged into engagement wita the quadrant by a coil spring D mounted on a pin secured in a bracket B extending from the handle.

In Figs. 9 and 10 the lever mechanism is shown applied to a double quadrant Q racked at its underside. In this form. the handle H is pivoted to the lever at P below the rack, the lever If carrying a bracket L in which tl1e'spring'-pressed 'memb'er M is mounted, whilethe handle is provided at one side of its pivot with an offset portion IP in which is mounted the cooperating cam member N and at the opposite side of its pivot with a second offset portion I-I carrying a detent D for normally maintaining a pivoted pawl D in engagement with the rack. In

this form, as will be obvious from the draw-- ing, movement of the handle on its pivot toward the right will release the pawl from the rack and will carry the cam member N to the opposite side of the spring-pressed member K, and when the brak is to be applied the handle is thrown toward the left of Fig. 9 whereupon the engagement of members M and N will otter only enough resistance to cause the handle H to move independently of thelever sufficiently far to apply the brake.

The mechanism shown in Figs. 11 and 12 is similar to that of Figs. 9 and 10. The quadrant Q however, is of the single type, racked at its underside. and passes through the lever L In this form also, the handle carries the movable cam member M while the fixed cooperating member N is secured to the The action of these members, however, is identical with the corresponding members hereinbefore described.

Fig. 13 discloses form in which the racked quadrant Q is secured to the handle portion 1 H and the teeth of the rack cooperate with shown in Figs. l to 8 inclusive.

In Figs; 14 to 17, Ih'ave illustrated the features of the invention applied to a mechanism suitable for railroad brakes. In this form the brakelever'L is pivoted at P' to a box-like portion H of handle H", said handle being broken away-in Figs. 14 and I5. On the pivot P is also mountedwithin the handle portion H a detent-me-mber D? l ingv'at one end a pawl D adapted to engage a lined rack Q Vithin the boxli'lre handle portion H is pivotally mounted a member N having a cam portion N adapted to co- Operate with a similarly formed member 'M secured onthe inner end of the lever U. A.

coil spring A is secured at one end-to the free "3 end of the member N and at its opposite end to the end of the detent D opposite from the pawl, as indicated at A and A respectively. The spring A thus normally maintains the cam members N and M in contact and also Y constantly urges the pawl D toward its cooperating rack. With the parts in the position shown in'Fig, is the brake is in the on position. It will readily be seen that-if the handle'is tiltedto the position shown in Fig. 15 the cam member N will pass over the end of the member M and in doing so will exert enough pressure on said member M in the upward direction to move the'lever L on its pivot to a suliioi'entdegree to' release the brake. During this movement, as soon as the highest points of members N and M have passed each other the pawl D begins to, disengage from the rack this disengagement being assisted by the engagement of said pawl by a projection II of the housing and which projection serves also to limit relative motion between the lever and handle in the opposite direction, by contactingwith the lower edge of the lever, as shown in Fig. 14. i

It would be possible to multiply almost in' definitely the varieties of form which may be given applicantsdevice in order to adapt it for special uses. It is believed, however, that the foregoing is sufficient to convey the fact th at whatever form the mechanism may take,

the cooperating adjustable and spring actuated cam members herein'described the restrictedrelat ve movements oft'he parts'of the lever may h e-calculated" and adjusted'to .jcorresp 0nd withtlie degree of brake pressure It will benoted' that in some instances the sprin cam member is shown 1 carried by the lever portion" proper and thefiXed-'c"ooperating member by the handle portion, While in other instances the dispositionof these memhers is reversed. It is therefore to be understood that the scope of the invention is not in any way limited by the particular disposition of these members.

lVhat' I claim is 1. A brake-operating mechanism, comprising in combination, a brake shaft, a lever secured to said shaft, a rack member, yielding means for engaging said rack member thereby to retain the lever in brake-setting position, a handle pivoted to said leverfor independent movement thereby to actuate said brake-retaining means, yieldable means between said lever and handle and normally opposing independent movement of the handle, means operative during a part of the actuation of the handle in either direction to compress said yieldable means thereby to permit such independent movement, and means for limiting said movement.

2. A brake-operating mechanism, com prising in combination, a brake shaft, a lever secured to said shaft, a rack member, yielding means for engaging said rack member thereby to-retain the lever in brake-setting position, a handle pivoted to said lever for inclependent movement thereby to actuate said brake-retaining means, said lever and handle carrying one a yieldable member normally opposing independent movement of the handle and the other a fixed member operative during a part of the actuation of the handle in either direction to compress said yieldable member thereby to permit such independent movement, and means for limiting said movement. v V

3. A brake-operating mechanism, comprising in combination, a brake shaft, a lever secured to said shaft, a rack member, yielding means for engaging said rack member thereby to retain the lever in brake-setting position, a handle pivoted to sai'd lever for independent movement thereby to actuate said brake-retaining means, said lever and handle carrying one a yieldable member normally opposing independent movement of the handle and the other an adjustably fixed member operative during a part of the actuation .of the handle in either direction to compress said yieldable member thereby to permit such independent movement, and means for limiting said movement. 4C. A brake-operating mechanism, comprising in combination, a brake shaft, a lever secured to said shaft, a rack member, yielding means for engaging said rack member there-' by to retain the lever in brake-setting position, a handle pivoted to said lever for independent movement thereby to actuate said brake-retaining means. a spring-pressed member mounted in said lever, a fixed member carried by said handle in contact with said spring-pressed member thereby normally to oppose independent movement of the handle, said fixed member being adapted to compress said spring-pressed member during a part of the actuation of the handle in either direction thereby to permit such independent movement, and means for limiting said movement.

5. A brake-operating mechanism, comprising in combination, a brake shaft, a lever secured to said shaft, a rack member, yielding means for engaging said rack member thereby to retain the lever in brake-setting position, a handle pivoted to said lever for independent movement thereby to actuate said brake-retaining means, said lever and handle carrying one a yieldable member having a pair of oppositely disposed cam faces and the other a fixed member having a pair of similar cam faces, a. cam face of one of said members being constantly in engagement with a cam face of the other member thereby normally to oppose independent movement of the handle but to compress said yieldable member during a part of the actuation of the handle in either direction thereby to permit such independent movement, and means for limiting said movement.

- In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM HEARFIELD SMITH. 

